---
id: pyobjc-framework-preferencepanes
version: "12.2.2"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# pyobjc-framework-PreferencePanes — Wrappers for the framework PreferencePanes on macOS

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 656.0K/mo

## What it is and what it does

This package wraps Apple's PreferencePanes framework for use from Python, allowing developers to create preference pane plugins that integrate with macOS System Preferences. It is part of the PyObjC project and provides low-level bindings to the native framework rather than high-level abstractions.

To use it, you subclass the framework's classes and implement the required methods; the package itself does not provide tutorials or Python-specific documentation beyond pointing you to Apple's official framework docs and PyObjC's general translation guide. It is most useful for developers already familiar with both PyObjC and macOS system-level programming who need to build preference pane extensions.

Use it for:

- Build a preference pane plugin for System Preferences to configure a macOS system utility or daemon written in Python
- Create a GUI settings panel for a macOS application that integrates with the native System Preferences interface
- Develop a system-wide configuration tool that runs as a preference pane rather than a standalone app

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Provides Python bindings to macOS's PreferencePanes framework, enabling you to build preference pane plugins for System Preferences using Python and PyObjC.

Yes, if you are building a preference pane for macOS and are already using PyObjC. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, and installs with low friction. However, it is a thin wrapper with no Python-specific documentation, so you should be comfortable reading Apple's framework docs and PyObjC's translation guide before committing to it.

## Install

pip install pyobjc-framework-preferencepanes
uv add pyobjc-framework-preferencepanes
poetry add pyobjc-framework-preferencepanes

## Installing pyobjc-framework-PreferencePanes

Before you install: Low friction install with active maintenance. Released 3 days ago with recent commits, supported on Python 3.10 through 3.15. Depends on pyobjc-core and pyobjc-framework-Cocoa, both part of the same maintained project.

License in practice: MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; you need only include the license notice.

Quickstart:

pip install pyobjc-framework-preferencepanes

from PreferencePanes import NSPreferencePane
# Subclass NSPreferencePane to build a preference pane plugin

Requires macOS; the PreferencePanes framework is not available on other operating systems.

Verify before relying:

- Whether this package works on Apple Silicon Macs or only Intel-based systems
- Whether the preference pane plugins built with this can be distributed to end users or are development-only

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 656.0K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

macOS preference panes python, system preferences plugin development, pyobjc preferencepanes, macos cocoa bindings, system preferences extension, macos-native, system-preferences

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